It is known to make a panty article by initially knitting a tubular panty blank on a circular knitting machine, slitting the tubular blank lengthwise along a line formed in the knitting process, cutting away excess fabric from the areas which will form leg openings, folding the blank lengthwise to bring together the raw edges formed by slitting, and then sewing the raw edges together at opposite sides to complete the panty. The blank, as it comes off the knitting machine, is preferably of an hourglass configuration resulting from the knitting of a lengthwise region approximately midway between the opposite ends of the blank in a mock rib construction causing this region to have a lesser diameter than the end regions of the blank. Thus, when the blank is slit, cut, and sewn, the mock rib region forms the crotch area of the resultant panty. Representative patents disclosing this methodology are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,985,004; 4,048,819; and 4,663,946. U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,403 discloses another somewhat related type of panty garment.
However, it has not heretofore been possible to incorporate elastic into the knitted blank in the area bordering the leg openings so as to create elasticized leg openings in the panty ultimately formed. Instead, the conventional means of elasticating the leg openings is to sew a narrow width elastic band along the perimeter of each leg opening to provide a finished and elasticated edge. One of the disadvantages of this conventional procedure is the additional material and labor expense in sewing on the elastic band.